There’s a lot of excitement, and mixed emotions, surrounding the NFL playoffs this year. While the postseason causes rivalry to be at its highest peak, this year is like no other. Many fans and analysts are frustrated due to the calls made by officials. These calls have caused debate, making people wonder, should these teams have even made it?
Disregarding controversy, there were some key plays in the teams’, specifically the New England Patriots’, winning success. An article from ESPN shares, “That flat route might have been available if Maye had lofted the ball over Pitre, but the second-year pro stayed patient and worked to his next read. That read was Douglas on the slant…, there wasn’t a lot of space for this ball. Maye’s throw had to be exact… Bullock nearly gets to the slant as he dives, but Maye’s throw prevents Bullock from making enough of a play on the ball to break it up. And with no safety help, Douglas has plenty of space to turn upfield for a touchdown.”
Along with this, Mr. Nillaga, a CCHS math teacher and freshman football coach, when asked what separates a Super Bowl team from a good regular season team, answered, “Getting hot playing helps, we saw that in both the Patriots and the Seahawks.”
There is much excitement going around, and games are breaking records for being the most watched. A USA Today article explains, “It’s rather astounding to learn that Sunday’s NFL divisional round playoff game between the Texans and New England Patriots became the most watched event on ESPN. Ever.” This game alone got 38 million views, as fans tuned in to watch around the world. USA Today also shares that “the game, despite having eight turnovers and no scores in the final 13 minutes of a contest largely controlled by the Patriots, also ranked as Disney’s most-watched sporting event, Super Bowl broadcasts on ABC notwithstanding.”
The AFC and NFC championships were where the big drama really started. The Denver Broncos starting quarterback, Bo Nix, got injured in their game against the Buffalo Bills, making people, again, say the Patriots have an easy schedule. The New England Patriots upset the Denver Broncos with a score of 10-7, and the Seattle Seahawks won against the Los Angeles Rams, 31-27.
This year’s Super Bowl, featuring the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, will take place on Sunday, February 8, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California at 3:30 p.m. PST. And, who knows, could this be the start of the New England Patriots third dynasty? Or will the Seattle Seahawks win Super Bowl LX?
